The Philadelphia Phillies were really good at hitting in the MLB last season, being in the top 10 for batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs and RBI.
But this year's season has been different for the Phillies so far. They are in the lower half in the MLB in almost all of those categories. And they have one of the highest payrolls in the game spent on stars like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber, so there are not many positions where the Phillies can improve their hitting through trade.
It's obvious they can do better in the center field position, and Zachary D. Rymer thinks the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Michael A. Taylor could be a good trade option for the Phillies. Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache Are Having Trouble Hitting for the Philadelphia Phillies
Rymer noted, “If the Phillies’ lineup was performing as expected, no one would notice their lack of hitting ability in center field. Unfortunately, the lineup is not doing well and people are criticizing the performance of the club’s center fielders. And it's fair to do so, given that the position has been very weak in terms of hitting.”
The lack of hitting from the Phillies’ center field has been criticized by fans and analysts because both of their main choices, Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache, are mostly known for their good defense.
“The Phillies need to make a decision soon,”
David Murphy argued for The Philadelphia Inquirer . “Either Rojas stays, and they find a better hitter than Pache, or he needs some time in the minors to become a better hitter than he is now.”In 194 at bats across two big-league seasons,
has a career .278/.280/.244 slash line and just a .200 batting average so far in 2024. Meanwhile, across 399 at bats in five seasons, Rojas has a career .175/.235/.273 slash line. Pache Rymer added, “One positive thing is that Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache have the Phillies co-leading MLB in Outs Above Average from center field, but it's fair to ask how much good defense can compensate for such bad hitting.”
Michael A. Taylor Could Be a Good Trade Option for the Philadelphia Phillies
Taylor could improve the hitting in the center field position while also playing good defense. He
.298/.327/.362 so far in 2024 and has six RBI in 47 at bats. He also has a Gold Glove Award from 2021 with the Kansas City Royals. is slashing “Taylor is a great defender with hidden power, so he would be the best choice for the Phillies if the Pittsburgh Pirates are willing to trade him,” Rymer wrote.
The Pirates are doing well,
tied for the most wins in the competitive National League Central Division, and they may decide to keep Taylor past the trade deadline if they have a chance at making the playoffs. But he is on a one-year, $4 million deal and set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so getting some value in return for trading him before then could be an attractive option. The Philadelphia Phillies might see a trade for Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Michael A. Taylor as a crucial improvement in hitting.
